Ohio hits record 300 craft breweries

Tuesday

It's time for the Ohio craft brewing industry to celebrate another milestone.

The Buckeye State is now home to 300 craft breweries, according to the Ohio Craft Brewers Association.

“We're thrilled that the state of Ohio has embraced craft beer this way,” association spokesman Justin Hemminger said Tuesday.

The group is especially pleased that breweries are opening everywhere across the state. In big cities. In midsize communities. In rural areas.

There were 47 craft breweries in Ohio at the beginning of 2012, meaning the industry has seen a meteoric rise in openings since then.

With at least another 65 breweries in planning in the state, the growth is expected to continue for years to come.

“Who knows where we will be at the end of this year or the end of next year,” Hemminger said.

Penguin City Beer, a new operation in Youngstown, picked up its state brewing permit last week, making it either the 300th or 301st craft brewery in the state — depending on how you count.

“Hitting that 300 mark is amazing to me,” said Aspasia Lyras, co-founder of Penguin City Beer. “That says people in Ohio love their beer.”

Penguin City Beer has been brewing on contract at Paladin Brewing in Austintown Township and distributing to about 200 accounts. But it is in the process of setting up a 10-barrel system at the B&O Station in Youngstown and hopes to start brewing its own beer within the month. It has been producing only a single beer — a golden ale — but will expand its lineup with its own brewery, Lyras said.

"It's exciting to be a part of," she said. "I love the energy with all the craft breweries right now. I can't believe there are 300 in Ohio. That's a big number."

Ohio is far from alone. According to the Brewers Association, six states had more than 300 craft breweries last year, with California leading the way with 841. Several other states, including Ohio, were on the verge of topping 300 last year, meaning several others likely have more than 300 now.

Last month, the Brewers Association noted that Ohio was the fourth largest producer of craft beer in the nation in 2018, making nearly 1.4 million barrels.

The Ohio Craft Brewers Association said it will celebrate topping 300 breweries with a big cake at the kickoff May 17 for Columbus Craft Beer Week.

The association counts breweries holding A1C brewing permits so its list doesn’t include the Anheuser-Busch or MillerCoors breweries in Columbus and Trenton, respectively.

It also counts each brewery location separately. For example, Fat Head’s is counted three times for its Canton, Middleburg Heights and North Olmsted sites.